A report, Transit-Oriented Development and Employment, makes the case that transit-oriented development (TOD) discourse has paid too little attention to major employment centers | instead concentrating on higher-density residential over retail.

Research shows that both transit ridership and quantity of real estate development around transit stations are closely related to the number of jobs within a half-mile radius of transit, the authors find. So, if new transit systems are built to serve as many riders as possible and promote TOD, connecting existing large employment centers is a very good strategy, the report concludes.

Connecting two major employment centers (Brown and the Hospitals) while promoting transit oriented development in the Jewelry District, is exactly what our Core Connector aims to do.

Social scientists, meanwhile, continue to explore the potential benefits of higher gas prices. A new report from Canadian researchers connects higher fuel costs with reduced sprawl. A pair of recent studies from Mississippi State (via The Transportationist) link higher gas prices with safer roads.

Megabus.com will expand its New York to Providence route to Hyannis, Mass., on Cape Cod. Daily service to Hyannis will begin on May 25.

Megabus.com will offer two daily departures between Hyannis, Providence and New York from its arrival and departure location at the Hy-Lines cruises dock, 220 Ocean Street, in Hyannis.

From personal experience I can say that Peter Pan bus service from Providence to the Cape sucks (“sucks” being the scientific term for it). How they can put a trip on their schedule leaving Hyannis at 5:15pm arriving at Kennedy Plaza at 8:10pm (2 hours and 55 minutes) and expect to remain a viable business is beyond me.

Last Sunday, for the third year, I took my annual walk down the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, an event that has become a kind of rite of spring. Each year, with the optimism of the season, I hope to find a wonderful urban park filled with delighted people.

The good news is that the Greenway is getting more beautiful. The bad news is that almost nobody is using it.

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About the Author

Jef Nickerson

Jef is Greater City Providence's co-founder, editor, and publisher. He grew up on Cape Cod and lived in Boston; Portland, Maine; and New York before settling in Providence. In addition to urbanism, Jef is interested in art, design, and ice cream. Please feel free to contact Jef if you have any question or comments about Greater City Providence.